Suspicious Fires Plague High-rise

HOLLYWOOD -- Fire officials are baffled by a series of fires in a beachfront high-rise.

Since Jan. 26, five fires have started in the trash chutes, laundry rooms or trash-bin room of the 15-story Galahad North apartment building, 3001 S. Ocean Drive. None have been life-threatening.

``This type of fire is not unusual for a high-rise,`` Hollywood fire inspector Bob Madge said. ``However, to have five fires in four weeks is highly unusual and suspicious.``

He said although there has been no evidence of arson, there is reason for suspicion.

``We have many people pointing fingers, accusing different factions of starting the fires,`` he said. ``Recently, a lot of younger people have been moving in. They have a completely different lifestyle, and some of the older residents seem to resent them being there.``

Hollywood fire inspectors met with about 100 of the 300 residents last week to talk about fire safety and to ask for help in solving the mystery.

One fire occurred when a stack of newspapers set out for recycling combusted.

``There shouldn`t have been any reason for those newspapers to catch fire, unless someone lighted it,`` Madge said. ``If there were a flammable liquid being used or something we could trace, that would help our investigation.``

Another fire was contained in a ground-floor trash-bin room. The other fires were in the trash chutes, which are equipped with automatic sprinklers.

When a fire alarm sounds, tenants are supposed to go to staircases and begin evacuation, said Galahad North manager Donald Baldwin, but some do not move.

Since the meeting, however, tenants of the rental complex have been calling his office to be sure they know which staircase to use.

``Trash is about the only thing that`s been burned,`` said Jerry Murray, a spokesman for VMS Realty, which owns the building. ``Other than a scorched floor, there`s been no damage at all.``